Battery with strength indicator

Abstract

A battery strength indicating and switch means on a battery which is coupled across the terminals of the battery and which is provided with an indicating means to indicate the strength of the battery and in addition, the battery strength indicating means is also provided with an in-line switch which can easily be depressed to complete the circuit so as to place the indicator means across the terminals of the cell and display the charge of the battery.

1. A battery having a battery strength indicating means to indicate the strength of the battery comprising a battery having a first terminal and a second terminal; a battery indicator and switch means comprising a non-conductive base layer, a non-conductive top layer disposed over the base layer, a first chamber formed between the top layer and the base layer, and a second chamber spaced from the first chamber and formed between the top layer and the base layer, indicating means disposed in the first chamber; first conductive means electrically connected to one terminal of the battery and to one end of the indicating means; second conductive means connected to the opposite end of the indicating means and extending into the second chamber; third conductive means extending from within the second chamber and extending to contact the other terminal of the battery; and whereby the second conductive means and the third conductive means in the second chamber are spaced apart and said second chamber being deformable so that upon pressing of the second chamber the second conductive means will electrically contact the third conductive means thereby placing the indicating means in electrical contact across the terminals of the battery to indicate the strength of the battery. 
     
     
       2. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the indicating means in said first chamber undergoes a visible change when subject to at least a pre-determined voltage value. 
     
     
       3. The battery of  claim 1  wherein at least the top layer of the first chamber is transparent. 
     
     
       4. The battery of  claim 1  wherein at least the top layer of the first chamber is translucent. 
     
     
       5. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the indicating means is a chemical redox composition which changes color when the voltage potential across the terminals of the battery crosses a pre-determined voltage. 
     
     
       6. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the indicating means is a liquid crystal composition that changes phases when the electric field across the chamber exceeds a pre-determined value. 
     
     
       7. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the second chamber upon being depressed will remain depressed thereby completing the circuit and placing the indicating means across the terminals of the cell. 
     
     
       8. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the first conductive means comprises a conductive layer which has a reduced cross-sectional area in said first chamber and the indicating means in said first chamber comprises a heat sensitive color indicating material adapted to undergo a color change when the temperature in said first chamber rises to a pre-determined temperature when the voltage of the current flowing through the conductive layer exceeds a pre-determined value. 
     
     
       9. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the first conductive means comprises a conductive layer which has a reduced cross-sectional area in said first chamber and wherein the indicating means comprises a pyrotechnic material adapted to decompose when the temperature of the conductive layer in said first chamber exceeds a pre-determined temperature, the conductive layer in said first chamber is adapted to exceed said pre-determined temperature when the voltage of the current through said conductive layer exceeds a pre-determined value. 
     
     
       10. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the first conductive means comprises a conductive layer which has a reduced cross-sectional area in said first chamber such that when the voltage of the current flowing through the conductive layer in said first chamber exceeds a pre-determined value the current flowing through said conductive layer in said first chamber raises the temperature of the conductive layer in the chamber to the melting point of the conductive layer causing the conductive layer to melt at the reduced cross-sectional area. 
     
     
       11. The battery of  claim 1  wherein the indicating means is a light emitting diode that undergoes a visible change when the voltage applied to the light emitting diode crosses a pre-determined value. 
     
     
       12. A battery having a battery strength indicator comprising:
   a nonrechargeable dry cell battery having a first terminal and a second terminal;        a battery strength indicator in a first chamber formed between an upper, nonconductive layer and a lower, nonconductive layer attached to the battery, the indicator comprising a conductive layer and a heat sensitive color indicating material adapted to undergo a visible color change when the temperature of the conductive layer rises to a pre - determined temperature in response to a predetermined voltage output of the battery, and a first conductor adapted to be electrically connected between one end of the indicator and the first battery terminal; and        a battery switch comprising an upper resilient, nonconductive, deformable layer and a lower nonconductive layer on the battery, a switch chamber disposed between the upper, resilient layer and the lower, nonconductive layer of the battery switch, and a second conductor extending from the switch chamber and connected to the other end of the indicator, a portion of the second conductor within the switch chamber comprising a switch contact, the battery switch being biased in an electrically open position, whereby upon pressing of the resilient layer over the switch chamber, the switch contact will be placed in electrical contact with a conductive layer in electrical contact with the second battery terminal, thereby placing the indicator in electrical contact across the terminals of the battery to indicate to the user the strength of the battery.     
     
     
       13. The battery of  claim 12  wherein the battery strength indicator is attached to a side of the battery. 
     
     
       14. The battery of  claim 12  wherein the conductive layer of the indicator includes a reduced cross- sectional area such that the heat sensitive color indicating material undergoes the visible color change when the temperature of the reduced cross - sectional area rises to the predetermined temperature in response to the predetermined voltage output of the battery.   
     
     
       15. The battery of  claim 12  wherein the battery switch is positioned on a side of the battery.